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This April, the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa announced a new Director of Sales, Marketing, and Events, Chrisie Smith. Smith has worked at several Hyatt properties across the country and has over 21 years of experience ranging from Colorado’s Park Hyatt Beaver Creek to Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino in Nevada, and most recently was the director of sales for Hyatt Regency in Dallas.

“I am super excited to join a major resort like the Tamaya," says Smith. "Tamaya is really a hidden gem, so I’m hoping to help the team spread awareness of the resort and all it has to offer. I was looking for new opportunities and new challenges and as far as a new adventure in life, I’m looking forward to building on the phenomenal job the resort has been doing over the years at promoting the property and taking care of its guests."

Smith graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Science in commercial recreation and resort management. She plans to use her background experience working from both the sales and the planning side of event management to continue to create experiences that are unique to the Santa Ana Pueblo area for individual leisure travelers as well as group attendees.

“When we chose Chrisie as the new director of sales, marketing and events, I knew she was going to build on the group foundation that we have here at the resort," says Herb Rackliff, general manager of Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa. “We were looking for somebody who had the passion and who we knew was going to be actively engaged every single day. Chrisie really has proven throughout her lengthy career that she would be a terrific team leader.”

Located on 500 acres Santa Ana Pueblo owned land, Hyatt Regency Tamaya is lucky to have Smith’s broad range of skills to build on the resort’s connection to the history and culture around the area as well as the special relationships with its guests. Smith views the people she has the opportunity to interact with every day as the most valuable aspect of the industry. This relationship building skill adds to her understanding of the guests and the resort’s connection to the surrounding culture and history.

Smith, who began working in the hospitality industry at age 13 for her family's restaurant in Santa Barbara, believes that passion is what gives event planners the drive to succeed. Smith says “At the end of the day if it’s in your blood to be in the hospitality industry, you can’t give it up."

These interviews are part of a series that highlights new hires within the industry. Have you recently started a new role or do you know someone who has? Submit your ideas to kassidy.tarala@tigeroak.com.

These interviews are part of a series that highlights new hires within the industry. Have you recently started a new role or do you know someone who has? Submit your ideas to kassidy.tarala@tigeroak.com.

Drew Warwick was recently appointed vice president of business development for RMC.

These interviews are part of a series that highlights new hires within the industry. Have you recently started a new role or do you know someone who has? Submit your ideas to kassidy.tarala@tigeroak.com.